Tissues were investigated for expression of chemical mediators, including interleukin (IL) 5, IL-10, IL-17, interferon-γ, and tumor growth factor-β1; transcription factors, including GATA binding protein 3 (GATA-3), forkhead box P3 (Foxp3), retinoic acid-related orphan receptor C (RORC), and T-box transcription factor (T-bet), and extracellular matrix, including collagen type I, fibronectin, tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 1, and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) 9.
A strong association was observed between nuclear brachyury protein expression and the stage of disease, with nuclear brachyury being more predominant in metastatic vs primary tumors.